“Do you ever look at someone and wonder what’s going on inside their head? Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out takes an exciting and hilarious journey into the mind to find the answer. Based in Headquarters, the control center of 11-year-old Riley’s mind (Kaitlyn Davis), five emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (Amy Poehler). She strives to make sure Riley stays happy as she operates alongside fellow emotions Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith).”

My Review:

The story of Inside Out basically revolves around a character named Riley, and her emotions. Due to her father’s job requiring the family to move, Riley is forced to leave the life that she knows and loves. Riley’s personality is usually full of Joy but having to move sets off all of her other emotions. With that being said, this is where the real story begins. Although the movie is about Riley, it focuses on her emotions, creating characters for each one. There are five emotions in total. Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness. With having to move being Riley’s first big life change, each emotion struggles to figure out how to best guide her. Without giving too much else away, all of these events send Riley on an emotional rollercoaster. When I first saw this movie in theaters, I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about it. I liked it but I wasn’t in love with it. Seeing it for a second time is what really sold me on it. First I want to talk about the cast. Inside Out features a fantastic group of actors to voice their characters. We have Amy Poehler (Joy), Phyllis Smith (Sadness), Bill Hader (Fear), Mindy Kaling (Disgust), Lewis Black (Anger), and Richard Kind (Bing Bong). All of them did an amazing job at bringing these characters to life. What I truly love about each Disney movie, is that they always seem to come with a message that we can all learn from. Throughout this movie, you see each emotion trying to figure out which is the best one to help run Riley’s life. As the story unfolds, you realize that it isn’t just one emotion that needs to be in place. It’s all of them. You start to understand that it’s ok to feel angry, sad, disgusted, or even to be fearful at times. Sometimes those emotions are necessary to help us truly find the joy in life. It’s not just one specific emotion, it’s all of them combined that make up who we are as a person. I found this message to be so beautiful, and important. The only thing about this movie that I question, is how well it will do with the younger audience. Sometimes the story can be so complex, that I’m not too sure a child would understand it. Aside from that, I think the movie is wonderful. This set comes with a nice amount of Special Features that show us how each of the characters were brought to life, and how the movie itself was made possible. As far as the Picture Quality goes, it’s out of this world. Disney always does a great job with their animated movies but this one stands out so much because of the use of color. There are so many beautifully vibrant colors throughout, that you can’t help but be amazed. The Bluray is so crystal clear, that it’s like being at the theater again. The Audio Quality is also done really well. When Riley feels an emotion, you feel it just as much due to the powerful score. Overall, this is a movie that everyone should at least see one time. It’s beautifully made, and comes with a big message that we can all learn from. I highly recommend checking it out.

Special Features:

Riley’s First Date? (In-Home Exclusive Animated Short Film) – Riley, now 12, is hanging out at home with her parents in San Francisco when potential trouble comes knocking: a boy shows up at the door. Can Mom and Dad’s emotions handle “Riley’s First Date?”

Lava (Theatrical Short Film, Presented in 2D & 3D) – Inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the explosive allure of ocean volcanoes, LAVA is a musical love story that takes place over millions of years.

Story of the Story – Director Pete Docter talks about the evolution of Inside Out, from the ideas and memories that inspired the story through the hurdles, explorations and experiences that helped shape it into the film it is today.

Paths to Pixar: The Women of Inside Out – Inside Out filmmakers, from voice actors to animators to production crew, talk about their paths, their goals, the challenges they’ve faced and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Mixed Emotions – Inside Out’s filmmakers talk about how they decided which emotions to focus on in the story and how they went about creating each one’s distinct personality and visual identity.

Mapping the Mind – Inside Out’s artists take you through the years-long process of designing and creating a world everyone knows, but no one has ever seen – the human mind.

Our Dads, the Filmmakers – Elie Docter (daughter of director, Pete Docter) and Grace Giacchino (daughter of composer, Michael Giacchino) bring you behind the scenes for an inside look at the making of the film.

Into the Unknown: The Sound of Inside Out – What is the sound of a memory forming? Sound designer Ren Klyce describes the challenges – and the unique solutions – involved in creating the aural world of Inside Out.

The Misunderstood Art of Animation Film Editing – Learn more about the crucial role of an animation film editor, who helps take the story from its earliest, most exploratory versions, to the final, polished film you see onscreen.

Deleted Scenes:

– Riley Grows Up – In this scene from a version of the film where the primary relationship was between Joy and Fear (then named Freddie), the emotions begin to notice a change in Riley.

– Joy’s Decline – Joy’s struggles to make sense of the limitations on Riley’s behavior that seem to be springing up at every turn.

– Misdirection -Joy and Freddie encounter a group of Riley’s “retired” imaginary friends, including an early version of Big Bong.

– Construction – Joy is guided through Riley’s mind by a radical non-conformist, Bing Bong, outraged by the demolition of older areas like Imagination Park.